Mt. Carmel pole vaulter No. 1 in state

By Steve Brand, Special to the U-T
| 10:57 p.m.April 26, 2013

Mt. Carmel senior Kyle Pater went 16 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault to set a meet record at the Escondido Invitational on Friday. Pater’s 16-3 is the top pole vault mark in the state this spring.
— Jamie Scott Lytle

Mt. Carmel senior Kyle Pater went 16 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault to set a meet record at the Escondido Invitational on Friday. Pater’s 16-3 is the top pole vault mark in the state this spring.
— Jamie Scott Lytle

ESCONDIDO  You wouldn’t blame Mt. Carmel pole vaulter Kyle Pater if he petitioned to hold the section track and field championships at Escondido High.

Pater soared to an Escondido Invitational meet record and state-leading mark of 16 feet, 3 inches Friday night before missing three tries at a San Diego Section record 16-9.

This is the same site where he soared 16-2½ last year to set the previous meet best. This time he did it with a new pole.

“It’s thicker and it has more pop at the top,” Pater said of the implement he used this time, clearing 15-9 on his first attempt. “I was a little close (to the crossbar) at 16-3, but I still thought I could pull it off.

“I guess you could say it’s my lucky pole now.”

Pater was also pretty sure he would have cleared 16-6, but he decided to go for the record after dropping runner-up Xander Law of Otay Ranch and Escondido’s James Elder at 15-9.

“I’m hoping for the upper 16s by the end of the year, and if I got 17 I’d be out of my mind,” Pater said.

The 4:11.64 improved the previous section best this spring by more than five seconds. The first three finishers had their best times with Steven Fahy of La Costa Canyon placing second at 4:13.88 and Garrett Ryan of Westview third at 4:15.89.

“I ran a 4:10 relay leg at Mt. SAC last week and was hoping to get that,” said Freeman, who is headed to Lipscomb University outside of Nashville in the fall. “Or even the meet record (4:11.10). But what I really wanted to do is break 2 minutes in the 800.”

That race came two hours after his 1,600 and he walked away a happy runner, dipping under 2:00 for the first time in a big way. Freeman is also No. 2 in the state at 3,200 meters and says he may try the distance double.

Other highlights:

• Torrey Pines junior Tal Braude sliced six seconds off the meet record in the 3,200, clocking a 9:06.79.

• West Hills’ Brenden Song added to his state and section season lead, hitting 194-4, scaring the meet record of 197-10.

• LCC’s Anthony Artis lowered his section-leading mark in the 200 to 21.77 after capturing the 100 in 10.95.